UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 229 



have rather an odd appearance for gentlemen's 

 carriages. 



"This new year's day, I hope you are all as 

 well and happy as I am ; and I am sure it will 

 give you pleasure to know, my beloved friends, 

 that we could indulge ourselves by going to 

 church on Christmas-day, and receiving the sa- 

 crament. Do not imagine that in this banish- 

 ment, as I fear you still consider it, these duties 

 are neglected; far from it; we have a church 

 near us, and I thank God, the inclination to 

 make use of it." 



5th, Sunday. The subject of Balaam was 

 continued this morning; and I took an op- 

 portunity of asking the meaning of the word 

 2iarable, as it is used in Numbers xxiii. 7. 



" It has more significations than one," said my 

 uncle, " in both the Old and the New Testaments. 

 It sometimes implies that sort of address to the 

 people, which, from its tone of authority as well 

 as from its elevated language, seems to have been 

 the effect of inspiration. Thus Balaam is said 

 to have taken up his parable, when, contrary to 

 his own wishes and in a style approaching to 

 poetry, he uttered his sublime prophecies. The 

 Psalmist also, after saying, ' I will open my 

 mouth in a parable,' gives a rapid, but magnifi- 

 cent sketch of the wonders that God performed 

 lor the children of Israel. Secondly, we find it 



